CashSum

About the Canadian Dollar

The Canadian dollar replaced the Canadian pound in 1858, aligning the currency more closely with the decimal system already used south of the border. Since 2011, all Canadian banknotes have been printed on a durable polymer material instead of paper, making them harder to counterfeit and more resistant to moisture. Canadians have also embraced a distinctly casual vocabulary for their coins: the $1 coin is nicknamed the 'loonie' after the loon bird depicted on it, and the $2 coin is the 'toonie', a playful combination of 'two' and 'loonie'.

Five denominations of notes circulate today: $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, while coins run from 5 cents up to the $2 toonie. Canada actually discontinued the penny (1 cent coin) back in 2013, so cash transactions are now rounded to the nearest 5 cents. This counter handles all the loonies, toonies, and bills you throw at it in seconds.